Park Hill upsets Lee's Summit West for conference title, but DQ creates tie

Going into last weekend’s Suburban Conference Red Division girls swim meet, the Park Hill Trojans had a steep task in front of them. Upsetting Lee’s Summit West who has never lost a conference meet since the school’s opening in 2004 and placing higher than their rankings in individual events would take a special performance across the board.

“It’s been four years since we won our last title,” Park Hill coach Karl Haley said. “Going into the meet, LSW had never lost a conference meet. We really wanted to end that streak.”

Things fell into place throughout the day with stellar finishes from swimmers in all events. Trojans swimmers took first in seven events including the 200 free and medley relays, Madison Heydinger in the 50 and 200 free, Brynn Guardado in the 500 freestyle and 200 IM, and Abigail Hill in the 100 breast stroke. Going into the final event, the 400 free relay, Park Hill was up an impressive 40 team points going into one of their stronger events. But a technicality would slightly alter what at the time was the Trojans’ for the taking.

“We got disqualified because of the ‘jewelry rule’. Girls have hair ties all the time and as long as it’s under their cap its usually fine, but one girl left it on her wrist,” Haley explained. “It’s fairly rare, they usually give them the benefit of the doubt and if the official sees it they’ll tell them to take it off. It was one of those things where she was the last one on the relay and no one was paying attention until it was too late.”

So while Park Hill finished first in the relay which would have given them an 80 point advantage at the end of the meet, their first place points were awarded to Lee’s Summit West, the second place finisher. This gave the Titans 40 points, bringing them even with the Trojans at 544 team points apiece. Good enough for a tie and making both teams rare co-conference champions.

“It’s too bad it was one of those things that ended up making a difference in the ending. I think the rule is mostly geared towards contact sports,” Haley said. “It’s one of those things you never hear about (co-champs). You see ties in events, but usually never overall as champions.”

Nonetheless, while Park Hill did not end Lee’s Summit West’s streak, they can now claim a conference title in girls swimming, something they would not have done if they lived up to the seeds they were set in to start the meet.

“Going into the meet, if we were to finish in the place we were seeded, we wouldn’t have won,” Haley said. “It was definitely the best meet of the year. Everyone had their best times of the year and did outstanding things.”

Brynn Guardado and Madison Heydinger will be the only Trojans competing in individual events at the state meet next weekend, but while Haley says they led the team this year and were the ‘go-to’ girls, it was a supporting cast that made the title possible who were just short of qualifying for state. They included Lynn Huynh who finished second in the 200 freestyle, Lindsey Horstmann who finished second in the 100 freestyle and third in the 50 freestyle, and Jasmine Jones who finished second in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. A complete team effort.

“It’s hard to point out one event,” Haley said. “I can look to every event and point out one or multiple swimmers who proved so much and made a huge difference in the point swing for us."